2013 Trends: Johan Terve, VP Marketing, Aptilo Networks

Details: Johan Terve, VP Marketing, Aptilo Networks; Category: Blogs & Opinion; 17 January 2013; 10635 views

In many emerging markets, Wi-Fi has become a key complement to mobile broadband. Some markets don't have 3G capability at all, and those that do generally don't have enough capacity to handle the large volume of customers. As a result Wi-Fi is many times the core vehicle to deliver mobile broadband, and this trend will continue in 2013...

Wi-Fi becomes a key complement to mobile broadband: In many emerging markets, Wi-Fi has become a key complement to mobile broadband. Some markets don't have 3G capability at all, and those that do generally don't have enough capacity to handle the large volume of customers. As a result Wi-Fi is many times the core vehicle to deliver mobile broadband, and this trend will continue in 2013.

Low-cost Wi-Fi-enabled devices grow in importance: Emerging markets have a need for very low-cost devices, and they must be Wi-Fi capable. Looking ahead we will see a growth in the amount of low-cost Wi-Fi-enabled devices.

WiMAX returns via LTE: It was unfortunate that, in developing countries, WiMAX's momentum disappeared with the popularity of LTE in industrialized countries, where LTE's value centered on something totally different – 4G mobile broadband. With this unfair treatment of WiMAX - which never was meant to compete with mobile broadband - much-needed broadband infrastructure in emerging markets was lost. Wireless is ideal as infrastructure in emerging countries and wireless broadband will make a comeback through TD-LTE.

Many new deployments will be TD-LTE so operators can benefit from the large volume of LTE devices.

We will also see existing WiMAX operators adding TD-LTE (same spectrum) or Wi-Fi as the last mile to overcome the lack of devices.